Contractor replacing Sheffield city centre traffic calming damaged by unexpectedly high number of lorries
A contractor will bear most of the cost of repairing traffic calming features at Sheffield's Tenter Street roundabout after they sustained damage from heavier vehicle use than anticipated. The over-run kerbs, installed to narrow the road and slow traffic, were damaged by a larger than expected volume of lorries. John Sisk and Son is undertaking the replacement work, with the contractor rather than the local authority covering the majority of expenses.
The repairs temporarily close a main commuter route connecting the roundabout to the city centre, though the road is expected to reopen by mid-August. The kerbs formed part of a 2024 city council initiative to improve conditions for pedestrians and cyclists, which also included a new two-way cycle lane. Local residents have questioned whether the original design adequately accounted for commercial traffic patterns, with some suggesting the damage outcome should have been foreseeable.
- Contractor John Sisk and Son to replace damaged traffic calming kerbs on Sheffield roundabout at their own cost after unexpected high volume of lorries caused damage
- Road closure on Broad Lane and Tenter Street expected to reopen by August 14
- Kerbs part of 2024 council initiative for pedestrian and cyclist safety; local residents question whether design adequately anticipated commercial traffic
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Sheffield's Tenter Street roundabout has been fitted with raised "over-run kerbs" as part of a 2024 city council scheme to slow traffic and make the area safer for pedestrians and cyclists, alongside a new two-way cycle lane. These kerbs narrow the road to encourage drivers to reduce speed at the junction.
The kerbs have since been damaged by a higher volume of lorries passing through than had been planned for. John Sisk and Son, the contractor responsible for the original installation, is now carrying out repair work, and is covering most of the cost itself rather than the council footing the bill.
This matters locally because Tenter Street is a key route for commuters heading into Sheffield city centre, so the repair work has meant a temporary closure, with reopening expected around mid-August. The episode has also raised questions among residents about whether the scheme's design properly anticipated the amount of commercial traffic using the road.